Novel process and article for preparing artificial nails

Abstract

Novel procedures for preparing artificial nails employing coating compositions which are cured in the presence of ultraviolet light to provide hard, flexible artificial nails having the general appearance of natural nails, which procedures can be used with the known prior art forms; and novel forms or molds for use in preparing artificial nails which are particularly useful with the aforementioned novel procedures but which can be employed with the prior art techniques for coating artificial nail compositions on a digit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Article for preparing artificial nails comprising, in combination: (1) an organic solvent-free photocurable liquid composition which, upon exposure to actinic radiation, can cure to provide a hard flexible water-insoluble plastic;   (2) a form comprising a liquid-impermeable flexible sheet material adapted to engage a digit and having an area adapted to receive said liquid composition in a defined configuration; and   (3) a source of actinic radiation which, upon exposure thereto of said digit having said form containing said composition in engagement therewith, can provide a hard plastic artificial nail.   
     
     
       2. An article as defined in claim 1 wherein said source of actinic radiation is a blacklight lamp which emits radiation characterized as being effectively free of visible light, said emitted radiation being essentially long wavelength ultraviolet. 
     
     
       3. An article as defined in claim 2 wherein said blacklight lamp includes an absorption filter adapted to transmit radiation emanating from said lamp having a spectral transmittance curve exhibiting a peak at about 360 nm and a sharp cut-off with tails extending only to about 320 and about 400 nm. 
     
     
       4. An article as defined in claim 3 wherein said filter is a glass absorption filter containing coloring agents, said filter transmitting in excess of 50 percent of the actinic radiation emanating at about 360 nm, no more than about 20 percent of the radiation emanating at about 330 nm and 390 nm, no more than about 5 percent of the radiation emanating at about 320 nm and 400 nm and less than 10 percent of the near infrared below 700 nm. 
     
     
       5. An article as defined in claim 2 wherein said blacklight lamp comprises an ultraviolet spot lamp having a 100 watt rating, said lamp having a filter adapted to transmit radiation emanating from said lamp having a spectral transmittance curve exhibiting a peak at about 360 nm, said filter being a round glass absorption filter having a coefficient of expansion of about 53×10 -7 . 
     
     
       6. An article as defined in claim 1 wherein said sheet material is provided with a defined liquid receiving area conforming generally to the size and shape of the desired artificial nail. 
     
     
       7. An article as defined in claim 1 wherein said form has an area adapted to receive a precise amount of said liquid composition in a predetermined configuration. 
     
     
       8. An article as defined in claim 7 wherein said form having an area adapted to receive a precise amount of said liquid composition in a predetermined configuration includes an upstanding wall member. 
     
     
       9. An article as defined in claim 8 wherein said upstanding wall member conforms essentially to the shape desired for the artificial nail. 
     
     
       10. An article as defined in claim 1 wherein said sheet material has a leading end, a trailing end and opposed lateral edges, said trailing end being adapted for placement under the tip of the natural nail of a digit, said sheet material having means defining a well extending from said trailing edge intermediate said lateral edges and said leading end, said well being of the general configuration of the desired artificial nail and being adapted to receive a precise amount of said liquid composition. 
     
     
       11. An article as defined in claim 10 wherein said source of actinic radiation is a blacklight lamp which emits radiation characterized as being effectively free of visible light, said emitted radiation being essentially long wavelength ultraviolet. 
     
     
       12. An article as defined in claim 11 wherein said blacklight lamp includes an absorption filter adapted to transmit radiation emanating from said lamp having a spectral transmittance curve exhibiting a peak at about 360 nm and a sharp cut-off with tails extending only to about 320 and about 400 nm. 
     
     
       13. An article as defined in claim 12 wherein said filter is a glass absorption filter containing coloring agents, said filter transmitting in excess of 50 percent of the actinic radiation emanating at about 360 nm, no more than about 20 percent of the radiation emanating at about 330 nm and 390 nm, no more than about 5 percent of the radiation emanating at about 320 nm and 400 nm and less than 10 percent of the near infrared below 700 nm. 
     
     
       14. An article as defined in claim 11 wherein said blacklight lamp comprises an ultraviolet spot lamp having a 100 watt rating, said lamp having a filter adapted to transmit radiation emanating from said lamp having a spectral transmittance curve exhibiting a peak at about 360 nm, said filter being a round glass absorption filter having a coefficient of expansion of about 53×10 -7 . 
     
     
       15. A process for forming a hard artificial nail on a digit, which artificial nail can thereafter optimally be shaped to the desired configuration, comprising the steps of: (1) applying to a digit an organic solvent-free photocurable liquid composition which upon exposure to actinic radiation can cure to provide a hard flexible water-insoluble plastic and wherein said composition comprises at least one polymer, a photoinitiator and at least one liquid monomer in which said polymer and photoinitiator are soluble, said monomer being cross-linkable with said polymer in the presence of actinic radiation and wherein said polymer is an acrylated urethane oligomer, and   (2) thereafter exposing said applied photocurable liquid composition to actinic radiation to initiate said curing to form a hard artificial nail.   
     
     
       16. A process as defined in claim 15 wherein said acrylate urethane oligomer is a low molecular weight oligomer containing no reactive isocyanate groups. 
     
     
       17. A process as defined in claim 16 wherein said acrylated urethane oligomer has a molecular weight in the range of from about 600 to 8000. 
     
     
       18. A process as defined in claim 17 wherein said composition further includes a reagent selected from the group consisting of flow control agents, slip aids, dyes and pigments. 
     
     
       19. A process as defined in claim 15 including the step of inserting under the tip of a natural nail a form or mold of sheet material adapted to receive a predetermined amount of said composition and in a predetermined configuration; and thereafter applying said composition to said form and said natural nail to provide a smooth, uniform continuous layer of artificial nail upon curing of said applied composition. 
     
     
       20. A process as defined in claim 15 wherein said actinic radiation is provided by placing the digit under a blacklight lamp which emits radiation characterized as being effectively free of visible light, heat, and short and medium wavelength ultraviolet light, said emitted radiation being essentially long wavelength ultraviolet. 
     
     
       21. A process as defined in claim 20 wherein said lamp contains an absorption filter which transmits in excess of 50 percent of the asctinic light emanating from said lamp at 360 nm, no more than 20 percent of the radiation emanating at about 330 nm and about 390 nm, no more than about 5 percent of the radiation emanating at about 320 nm and about 400 nm and less than 10 percent of the near infrared below about 700 nm. 
     
     
       22. A process as defined in claim 15 wherein said liquid composition is applied successively to a plurality of said digits and the digits having the thus applied composition are then concurrently exposed to said actinic radiation, whereby to effect simultaneous curing to form said artificial nails on each said digit. 
     
     
       23. A process as defined in claim 15 wherein said composition is characterized as providing upon curing a relatively flexible layer, said process including the further steps of applying at least one additional organic solvent-free photocurable composition to said digit after said first-mentioned composition has been cured, and thereafter curing each said additional composition by successive exposure to actinic radiation, each said additional composition having greater rigidity upon curing than the preceding one. 
     
     
       24. A process as defined in claim 19 wherein said sheet material is provided with a defined liquid receiving area conforming generally to the size and shape of the desired artificial nail tip and said continuous coating is applied substantially only to said natural nail and said defined area. 
     
     
       25. A process as defined in claim 24 wherein said defined area comprises a well defined by upstanding wall means. 
     
     
       26. A process as defined in claim 24 wherein said sheet material comprises a flexible sheet provided with means for adjusting the shape of said liquid-receiving area. 
     
     
       27. A process as defined in claim 26 wherein the means for adjusting the shape of the liquid-receiving area is a slit.